


Maybe It Was the Hormones

by EverTheDreamer



Category: Gypsy - Laurents/Sondheim
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-18
Updated: 2008-11-17
Packaged: 2017-10-18 01:16:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/183364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverTheDreamer/pseuds/EverTheDreamer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gypsy Revival. Based on Patti LuPone and Boyd Gaine's portrayals. Herbie, clearly, had no idea how dreadful this was! He was still lavishing her swollen tummy with kisses and cooing to their unborn child in a cheerful voice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Trimester

Rose shook her head, fighting against what her subconscious knew for a fact by now. "I'm getting old," she hissed at the logical conclusion. "And I'm getting fat." She refused to accept what the voice of logic was telling her, the voice that sounded remarkably like that of her father.

"Honey?" Herbie asked, entering the small room they shared "unbeknownst to her girls." He kneeled behind her on the bed, wrapping both his arms around her waist so that his hands rested on the slight swelling of her stomach. "What's wrong?"

"I'm getting old. And fat," she sighed angrily, still refusing to acknowledge the truth aloud.

Except he wouldn't mind, wouldn't react with anger and sadness as she had. Herbie would be overjoyed when she told him the truth. And that just upset her more. It's easy enough for _him_ to be overjoyed. He _clearly_ wouldn't be thinking what this would do to her.

"Aw, Rose! You are not! You're young and beautiful!" he told her, planting kisses along her neck.

Instinctively, she raised one hand, her fingers threading in his salt-and-pepper hair as she guided his mouth to her pulse point. "No, I'm not. I've put on… Some weight. And now I'm going through… _Menopause._ "

"What?" he chuckled against her skin.

"Don't play dumb with me, Herbie. You know it's been over two and a half months since… I-Well-Since it's been _that time of the month_ ," she whispered harshly, as though she was too embarrassed to even go into such things when it was just the two of them. "And I've put on so much weight!"

He turned her so that she was facing him, "Honey, you know I love you, regardless of your weight-"

Rose scowled, angry that he was acknowledging her weight-gain.

"And you're the perfect weight!" he quickly added. "And regardless of whether or not you're through with 'The Curse.'"

"But I don't _want_ to be fat and old! How am I supposed to make up acts for the kids if I'm fat and old?" she whined, pouting.

"Rose, you're not fat. And you're not old," Herbie whispered, his breath was hot in her ear and sent a shiver down her spine as he slid a hand up her thigh. He worked the buttons of her blouse with one hand as he gently caressed her milky thigh with the other.

Rose's eyelids fluttered close, succumbing to him as he trailed feather-light kisses down her neck.

"You're young." He kissed her pulse point. "And vibrant." Another kiss, just above her left breast. "And _sexy_." He dragged his teeth across the black lace of her bra, relishing in the light moan that caught in her throat as he teeth grazed her nipple.

"Herbie-!" she gasped, her hands flying to his neck and pulling his mouth to her own. She sucked hungrily on his lower lip, climbing onto her knees and scooting closer. He pushed her blouse down her arms, pulling back to drink in her image.

And then it seemed to click in his mind.

"Rose," he whispered, his eyes going wide as she leaned in for another kiss, her fingers reaching for his belt. "Rose." She ignored him, nimbly unbuckling his belt before unbuttoning his pants. "Rose!" Herbie pulled away from her, gasping and smiling despite his shock at what he'd just figured out.

"Herbie, wha-"

"You're not 'fat and old.' You're _pregnant!_ " he exclaimed happily, leaning back towards her and kissing her swollen stomach repeatedly. "Hello in there, little baby!" he cooed, hugging her around her middle.

With an angry sigh, Rose dropped her arms limply to her side.

She had known he was going to be overjoyed when he found out. He obviously didn't realize what this meant. After all, touring? Being on the road? That's no environment for a baby to be born into. They'd have to either give the baby up- which Herbie would never agree to- or settle down until the baby had grown some.

So her promise to June that she would headline on Broadway? She wouldn't have _time_ to make baby June into a star. She'd be too busy with this… Parasite growing inside of her. And Lord knows this child would never be able to sing. She loved Herbie dearly but she was _well_ aware that the man couldn't carry a tune with a bucket- he was always flat. So she wouldn't be able to work the new baby into the act. … Except for maybe as the cow.

And she'd have to follow through sooner than she'd planned with her promise to marry Herbie. It was _highly_ unacceptable to have a baby out of wedlock. So she would have to waltz down the aisle for the fourth time.

And she'd have to face up to her _father_ and stealing his stupid plaque because Herbie would, no doubt, want him to "give her away" at their wedding.

This was a _nightmare!_ And Herbie, clearly, had no idea how dreadful this was! He was still lavishing her swollen tummy with kisses and cooing to their unborn child in a cheerful voice.

"Oh, honey! This is _wonderful!_ June and Louise will just _love_ their new little brother or sister!" Herbie smiled, finally leaving her stomach alone long enough to press an excited kiss to her lips. "…What's wrong, Rose?"

" _It_ isn't even _born_ yet and you're already pushing _me_ to the side," she scowled, narrowing her eyes. "I'm not just an _oven_ , Herbie."

"Of course you're not, honey! I didn't say you were!" He grinned, "This is probably just hormones cause of the baby. You know I love you, Rose."

"No, this isn't _hormones_ , this is _anger._ I'm angry, Herbie!" she retorted.

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked, concerned now.

"You can't just get me all worked up and then get distracted by… _This,_ " she pointed to her stomach, disgust written into her features.

Fortunately, Herbie missed the look of revulsion on her face because he'd begun placing slow kisses on her stomach again. This time, though, his kisses trailed upwards as he covered one of her breasts in hot kisses and kneaded the other slowly.

Almost immediately, the anger and disgust faded from her features. Her mouth fell open in a silent moan as heat surged at the apex of her legs. "Her-Herbie," she swallowed, her fingers digging into his shoulders.

He worked his free hand between their bodies, sliding her skirt down her legs before pushing her panties down to her knees as well. And then he'd pushed her onto her back, slipping her skirt and panties from around her knees as he trailed hot kisses down her swollen stomach.

"Oh, God… Herbie," Rose breathed, arching into his touch. She was vaguely aware that he was paying special attention to her stomach, still covering the bump with kisses as she spread her slowly with two of his fingers. And then he was kissing her _there_ and she could barely breathe as she writhed with his every breath.

He curled his fingers upward, pressing against her g-spot and eliciting a series of several sharp gasps. "Thank you, Rose, thank you. I love you," he whispered, his lips brushing her clit and making her cry out as pleasure assaulted her system.

"Her-Herbie!" she groaned, her head thrown back into the pillows as she pulled fervently at his arms. "I need you-want you."

"You have me," Herbie assured. "You and the baby both have me, always."

She ignored his comment about the baby, allowing herself to get lost in the sensations that were working to slowly overwhelm her. "In-Inside," she breathed, her hips bucking.

Rose felt his lips and tongue leave her, ceasing the havoc they were wreaking on her body, before he pulled his fingers from her as well. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving as she struggled for a proper breath, as he unzipped his pants and kicked them off his legs. He covered her full lips with his own and swallowed her moan as he entered her, her juices coating both their tongues now. She broke their kiss, gasping and panting desperately as she squeezed him between her thighs, allowing him deeper.

If she hadn't been teetering on the brink of her climax, if promising colors and stars hadn't been clouding her vision, she would have noticed that Herbie had left a considerable amount of space between their torsos as though he was afraid of hurting their unborn baby. She shivered beneath him, her muscles contracting powerfully around his length and making him spill into her suddenly.

"Herbie!" she moaned loudly, her orgasm crashing down around her even as Herbie forced him to roll away from her. Pleasure continued assaulting her system as she gasped desperately for air. Even in her pleasure-fogged mind she was practical, filing this mild transgression of his away for future use.

But for now, she just curled against him, molding her body to his as she began to fall asleep. "I love you, Herbie," Rose whispered as he encircled her protectively in his arms.

"I love you, Rose," Herbie whispered back, smiling as one of his hands rested on the swell of her stomach.

Maybe he was right… Maybe it _was_ the hormones from her pregnancy.


	2. First Trimester

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She sighed angrily as she stared at his back, her left hand unconsciously coming to rest on her swollen stomach as her wedding band shone in the dim light.

  


She sighed angrily as she stared at his back, her left hand unconsciously coming to rest on her swollen stomach as her wedding band shone in the dim light.

"Of course _he_ can sleep," she growled. "He doesn't have a stomach the size of a goddamn _watermelon_."

"I can't sleep on my side… And I'm not _allowed_ to sleep on my back! Stupid doctor… What does he know? I slept on my back with June and Louise and they turned out fine! But _no_! The stupid doctor had to open his fat mouth in front of Herbie… And now I'm not allowed to sleep on my back. So I can't sleep!" she complained to no one in particular as she stared at Herbie's back.

She felt the baby kick and she glared at the bulge in her stomach, " _Now_ what's your problem? And leave my bladder alone. I'm tired of running to the bathroom!" As though the baby had heard her and decided to spite her, she felt the sudden need to pee. Sighing irritably, she rolled onto her other side and threw her legs over the side of the bed to waddle to the bathroom.

Rose smiled despite herself as she stared at Herbie sleeping peacefully, one hand resting on her stomach again as the other went to the curve of her back. "It's a good thing I love you," she told his sleeping form as she hauled herself back into the bed.

Thoughts of their wedding sprang to her mind as she glanced down at her wedding band again. It had been a simple ceremony, to be sure.

Her darling baby June dancing down the center aisle and throwing rose petals of assorted colors into the air to call to the floor around her as Louise followed quietly after with their rings. Both girls had worn matching rose pink dresses.

That was the theme: Roses.

Herbie thought it was cute.

Rose thought it was revolting.

Everything was rose petal pink: the girls' dresses, her flowers, Herbie's and her father's bowties.

It was sickening.

Then, on Papa's arm, she had been paraded down the aisle in a satin, off-white gown that Herbie had picked out. So that everyone could stare at her and her swollen stomach like she was a sideshow act at a freakshow.

And, of course, everyone told her she looked beautiful: the picturesque blushing bride.

She thought she looked like a blimp.

She knew how they were talking about her, all her father's friends that he'd asked to attend. She could hear them whispering, talking about her. Like she was a whore.

" _Little Rosie is getting married_ again _!"_

" _Did you_ see _her yet? She's not little by any stretch of the imagination."_

" _I heard she's pregnant!"_

" _She definitely is. I'll bet she tricked this poor sap into marrying her… It's probably not even his!"_

And they'd had to stop the ceremony at least five times cause the baby seemed to enjoy kicking her bladder.

She remembered, vividly, cursing Herbie and the dress he'd chosen for her. Could he have picked something with a longer train and more poof for his fiancée that was twenty weeks pregnant? Please? Cause then she might have been able to trip even _more_ each of the seventeen or so times she'd scurried to the bathroom.

But it had been worth it. Herbie was happy, overjoyed even, and so were her girls. Papa had even taken the girls for the night so she and Herbie could attempt to have a proper wedding night.

And, oh! Their wedding night! Liquid heat surged between her thighs just _thinking_ about it.

Herbie had slowly stripped Rose of the huge dress that had made her look- in her opinion- like a snow-beast, kissing and sucking on the plump, newly exposed flesh before teasing and caressing her until she begged him to make love to her.

"Herbie?" she whispered quietly. The memories of their wedding night had her wanting him _now._

"Herbie?" she repeated slightly louder as she gently shook him. "Honey, are you awake?"

"Herbie!" she finally shouted, shaking him roughly.

Herbie woke with a start, flying into a sitting position and turning to face her, "What? Rose, honey, are you okay? Is it the baby?" He reached for her stomach, placing his palm across the swell of her stomach.

Rose smiled playfully, taking his hand in both of hers and bringing it to her lips. "Oh, good." She sucked purposefully on two of his fingers, one of her hands going to his lap and resting on his thigh, "You're up."

"Of course I'm up," he told her, his mind still too groggy to comprehend her attempt at seduction. "You woke me up. What's wrong?"

"Nothin's wrong, honey," she smiled, batting her eyelashes. She kissed his fingertips gently, slowly moving her hand from his thigh to the slight bulge in his boxers. "I just wanted…" She trailed off, cupping him gently as she leaned up and captured his lips with her own.

He sighed against her lips, leaning downward so that she was lying comfortably again as he ran his fingers through her flattened red curls. He broke the kiss, his forehead resting against hers as he stared into her chocolate eyes, his eyes drifting downwards to her swollen stomach for an instant before snapping back up.

"What is it, honey?" she breathed, her full lips moving slowly over the sensitive skin of his neck as she slipped her fingers into his boxers. She pulled back to look at him and she saw that his eyes were trained on the swell of her stomach. She took a deep breath before turning his chin to make him face her. "I'm here, dear. Look at _me_."

He smiled before pressing his lips to hers again, his tongue darting into her mouth as he pulled her nightdress up in fistfuls, caressing her thigh slowly. He ran a hand over one of her full breasts, cupping and squeezing gently. She moaned in response, arching slightly as she closed her fingers around his length.

"Herbie," she breathed against his lips. "Oh, God… I want you, honey." She opened her eyes and saw that he was staring at her stomach again. Tears sprang to her eyes and she was instantly overwhelmed with insecurity.

"Am I too fat? Is that what it is, Herbie? You don't want me cause I'm fat?" Rose demanded, tears falling from her eyes as she pulled away from him. "I don't turn you on? I'm not attractive? Well, I'm sorry that my body disgusts you!"

It took some effort, but she managed to roll over so that she wasn't facing him any longer, instead staring at their bedroom door as hot tears spilled from her eyes.

"Honey, no," Herbie cooed, placing one of his hands on her waist as he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck.

"No, don't bother," she cried, swatting his hand away and wriggling away from his kisses. "You don't need to have sex with me since I'm so repulsive. Don't touch me." She was crying freely now, gesturing wildly as she refused to face him, too overcome with her insecurity and sexual frustration. "I'm just _so_ fat and ugly, it's a wonder you can even sleep in the same room with me without getting nightmares! I suppose you only married me for the baby since God knows I'm too fat to be sexy or attractive. No wonder you don't want to make love to me."

"Rosie, it's not like that at all," he whispered, kissing her neck again and wrapping an arm around her so she couldn't pull away. "I just didn't want to hurt the baby. If I wasn't so afraid of hurting the baby, I'd take you right now, over and over again. I love you and you _know_ I find you sexy and desirable." He slid his hand between her thighs as he kissed and sucked at sensitive points on her neck.

She swallowed, her eyes fluttering close as she leaned back against him. "Herbie," she whimpered, her breathing quickly becoming erratic and uneven.

He slid his fingers into her panties, teasing her as he nibbled on her earlobe.

"Oh, honey," she breathed, her nails digging into his forearm in an attempt to increase the light pressure he was applying to her clit. "Herbie, please… Just-Oh, God-Take me."

"You know what the doctor said about you lying on your back, Rose," he whispered, tracing her slit with a single finger. She moaned lightly and squirmed in response.

"Can't I-Can't I be on top?" Rose panted, her hips bucking against his fingers. "The doctor didn't say anything about that, right?"

Herbie's response was tugging her panties down her legs before he helped her maneuver so she was straddling him.

She crooned, moaning deeply in her throat as she eased herself down until he'd entered her. She moved on him slowly, her eyes tightly closed in a state of bliss as her hands reached for the headboard to help control her movements. He reached up and pulled her hands from the headboard before pulling her nightgown over her head and covering one of her breasts with kisses.

"Herbie!" she breathed, her muscles clenching around him suddenly. Her body tensed before shivering as her nails bit into the wooden headboard.

Herbie stared at her in shock. She _never_ finished before him.

Her head lolled back and she clenched him between her thighs, moaning loudly as she started moving again, riding him harder and forcing him to fill her.

"Did you-?" he breathed, unable to get over his confusion. She had just climaxed, hadn't she? Shouldn't she be tired now?

She nodded once as she increased her pace, groaning as one of her hands left the headboard to pull his mouth to hers. "Herbie! Oh, God!"

He kissed away from her mouth, kissing and sucking a path down her slender neck back to her breasts.

"Mmmnnnmmm," she moaned, her head lolling back again as she tightly clutched the headboard. "Herbie! Honey-Oh, God!" He ran his teeth over her taut nipple, relishing in her shudder of delight. "Oh, Herbie! Oh, oh, OH!" she cried, her muscles squeezing him as she surrendered to the orgasmic waves of pleasure washing over her from breast to groin.

He bit into her breast as he released within her, and she squealed louder, grinding downwards and forcing herself to accept his entire length.

Her skin shone with a thin layer of sweat as she panted and huffed above him, releasing her grip on the wooden headboard to push his hair out of his eyes before caressing his cheek gently. She ran her free hand through her hair, teasing her red curls away from the sweat that lined her forehead, before weakly motioning for him to lift himself up to her level for a kiss. She kissed him hungrily, moaning lightly into his mouth as she started grinding her hips downward.

"Rose, my God," Herbie gasped, breaking the kiss. "Are you still raring to go?"

She grinned sheepishly before pulling his mouth hard against her own.

"Rosie, honey, I-I _can't_."

Rose pouted, "Why not? I thought you said you find me sexy and desirable… Why don't you want to make love to me? I love you. And I _want_ you, Herbie."

He smiled and sighed, gently disentangling her and easing her into a sitting position against the pillows. "Honey, I _do_ want to make love to you," he accented each word with a soft kiss to her neck, making her groan quietly, her eyes drifting closed.

"Herbie," she breathed, her fingers lacing in his hair as she pulled his mouth hard against her own.

"Shhh, honey. Just relax," he told her, pressing her back into the pillows as he kissed her. He slid his hand between her thighs again and spread her slowly, his thumb circling her still-engorged clit. She moaned loudly into his mouth in response.

"Oh, God!" she panted, breaking their kiss as her head lolled back and her hips bucked against his hand. "Herbie! Please!" She reached behind her with one hand to grip the headboard again as her other hand skirted around her stomach to cover Herbie's between her quivering thighs. She panted and groaned with pleasure as her back arched, her body shuddering as she inched closer to another orgasm.

"I love you, Rose," he whispered before covering her full lips with his. He pushed just a fraction harder against her clit and she cried out in ecstasy, her body squeezing as she fell limp against the pillows, finally spent.

Silently, Herbie rolled her onto her side and curled behind her, pulling her against him as he kissed the back of her neck and pulled her frizzy curls out of her face. "Shhh, it's okay. Go to sleep, Rosie."

Rose panted, struggling for a proper breath, as she pulled Herbie's hand to her lips to kiss his palm lightly. Then she brought both of their hands to rest on her swollen stomach and she felt Herbie's smile of contentment against her skin as the baby kicked their joint hands. "I love you, Herbie. So much."

  



	3. Third Trimester

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rose stared at the wall, trying to bite back the anger she'd been wrestling with since her OB-GYN appointment earlier, ignoring Herbie's attempt at conversation as he undressed behind her.

Rose stared at the wall, trying to bite back the anger she'd been wrestling with since her OB-GYN appointment earlier, ignoring Herbie's attempt at conversation as he undressed behind her.

"So I really think that I like Nancy or Penny for a girl. And Nicholas or Paul for a boy," he was saying as he hung his pants behind the door.

She shook her head, her anger finally winning now that they weren't in public. "Were ya even gonna _tell_ me, Herbie?" she demanded, hauling herself out of the bed and leaning on the bedpost.

"What?"

"Were ya? Or were ya gonna just let me find out in the damn delivery room!" she roared, her free hand going to her back to support the weight of her now enormous stomach.

"What are you _talking_ about, Rosie?" he asked, walking around the bed. "Sit down, honey. You're gonna upset the baby."

"IES!" she hollered at him, pulling away from him.

"What?" he repeated, blanching.

"I heard you talking to the doctor, Herbie! I heard him sayin' that there's two of 'em growin' in me!" Angry tears shone in her eyes now as she waddled away from him, her stomach making it difficult for her to do anything quickly.

"Rose-"

"And you've had _all day_ to tell me and ya still haven't! So tell me, Herbie: Were ya even gonna tell me? Or were you just gonna let me find out in the delivery room after I pushed out the first one?" she growled, gesturing with one hand as she tried to support her back with the other.

"Ya know," she started, changing the subject as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I really thought I was just getting fat. Cause I'm so much bigger than I was with Louise and June. And I kept saying this to you and you didn't say a _damn_ thing!"

"Rose," he started again, grabbing her hand and trying to guide her back to the bed so she could sit down.

"No! Don't touch me! Don't you _dare_ touch me!" she yelled, pushing him away from her as she stumbled around in her attempt to find something to lean on. "Get out! I don't even wanna _look_ at you, Herbie." She pulled at her wedding band, trying to pull it off as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Don't be like that, Rose," Herbie pleaded, reaching out to help her.

She pushed him away again, falling backward against the wall in her attempt. He reached out again, catching her before she could fall to the floor. Crying freely now, she leaned against him, letting him support her weight.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me, Herbie?"

"I was afraid of how you would react, honey," he admitted, steering her back to the bed to get the weight off her feet. "I knew you didn't really want another baby and," he slid her shoes off her feet, taking them in his lap and massaging them, "I was afraid you'd be mad and not want them."

"Honey, you can't _not_ tell me something just cause you're afraid of how I'll react. Especially when it's something that concerns me as much as this does!"

"I know, Rosie, I know," he sighed, sliding his hands up her thighs to pull down each of her stockings.

Her breath caught as his fingers glided along her inner thighs.

"And I'm sorry. Do you forgive me, Rosie?" he asked, his fingers lingering on her toned thighs.

Breathless, she nodded, her eyes drifting closed.

She _hated_ what her hormones were doing to her. She couldn't win _any_ fights anymore. She either broke down in tears or in lust. Either way, she completely forgot her anger every time.

And she hated even more that Herbie was getting so good at playing to the latter. He didn't seem to know what to do when she cried, but he sure as hell knew how to get her to the breaking point with lust. Even the lightest touches from him set her skin aflame since she'd started her second trimester. And when she hit her third trimester, it got really out of control. He barely had to _touch_ her and she'd feel the familiar heat throbbing between her thighs. Sometimes he got her just by _looking_ at her a certain way or saying something _just_ the right way. And she'd melt.

"Of course," she breathed. "I forgive you, Herbie."

He pulled her stockings from her legs slowly before running his hands up her arms and slowly un-doing each button of her dress. She forced herself to swallow, her mouth suddenly dry. He smiled, running his hands back up her front, caressing her stomach before doing the same to her even fuller breasts.

Her head lolled back, a light moan catching in her throat. "Herbie," she panted, taking one of his hands with both of hers and bringing it to her lips. She kissed his palm slowly, her tongue gliding as she moaned quietly. "Oh, God…"

"What is it, Rosie?" he asked, leaning forward and kissing her stomach.

"Herbie, I want you," her eyelids fluttered as she forced them open. She pushed herself out of her reclining position to cover his lips with her own.

He mentally scolded himself for egging her on. "Rose, you know we have to be careful."

She ignored him, shrugging out of her maternity dress and throwing it behind her before guiding his hands to the clasp of her bra. "I want you so much, honey."

He forced himself to disentangle himself from her and take several steps away, trying to ignore his own desire for her. "Now, Rose-"

She rolled back, using her belly weight to help her spring into a standing position so she could prowl forwards. "Don't you want me, Herbie?" she pouted, having already noticed his growing erection.

True, Herbie was getting good at playing to her increased sex-drive, but that didn't mean _she_ wasn't getting good at reading what turned him on about her growing body.

She ran one of her hands over her swollen stomach as she unbuckled her bra with the other before caressing her breasts. "Don't you _want_ me, Herbie?" she repeated, sucking on her index finger as she batted her eyes at him.

With a feral growl, he closed the distance between them to press his lips hungrily to hers. He pushed her panties over her hips and to the floor before turning her around and guiding her forward so she could grip the bedpost for support. He kicked his pants off before pushing his length into her from behind and kissed her neck lovingly.

She was trembling from the second he slid into her heat, one of his hands fumbling below her stomach to press against her clit as he ran the other over her stomach to her breasts.

"Herbie!" she squealed, throwing her head back to rest on his shoulder as her nails dug into the wooden bedpost.

He pushed into her again, deeper, and she all but purred as he rocked against her g-spot.

"Rose," he breathed in her ear, sucking below her earlobe as he gently kneaded her breast. "Oh, my Rose. I love you."

"I- love you- too- Herbie," she panted rocking against him. She lowered one of her hands, circumnavigating around her stomach, to cover his as he pressed against her clit harder as she purred, encouraging him to keep his pace.

"I miss seeing your face when I make love to you, Rosie," he whispered, sucking at her pulse point.

"He-Herbie!" she moaned, trying to turn her face to look at her husband properly. "Honey, I'm so cl-close!" She reached behind her head, pulling her hand from Herbie's to turn his face to hers as she pressed her lips to his desperately. She moaned into his mouth loudly, clutching both his neck and the bedpost frantically as her muscles clenched around his length.

That was another thing that changed since her second trimester. Not only did she now finish before him nine out of ten times, she also was able to go for so much longer. At least twice. Usually closer to four times.

He pulled out of her, spinning her around and sitting her on the bed before leaning over her and pressing a proper kiss to her full lips.

She gasped, struggling to fill her lungs, as she pushed Herbie into a lying position on the bed and straddled him. With some effort, she maneuvered around her stomach to press hungry kisses to his neck, her stomach prohibiting her kissing any lower.

"Herbie, honey," she whispered, kissing a trail back to his lips.

"Rose," he breathed against her lips, both of them moving their hips until he slid into her, filling her again.

"Si-sit up," she instructed, pulling at his shoulders. He looked at her in confusion but obeyed anyway, letting her thread her fingers through his salt-and-pepper hair and pull his mouth hard against hers. She whimpered into his mouth as she felt him swell inside her.

"Rose!" he groaned, breaking their kiss, his own fingers entwined in her flyaway red curls.

She responded by pressing her lips to his hungrily to his again as she ground her hips downward, allowing him deeper. She moaned when he released inside her, shivering and desperately clawing at his shoulders as she surrendered to the waves of pleasure emanating from her core. "Herbie!"

When he caught his breath, he gently laid her down, lavishing her swollen stomach with slow kisses as he worked his fingers slowly between her thighs, teasing her. He slid two of his fingers into her slowly, feeling her muscles flexing to accommodate them.

Her breathing already an erratic pant, she combed her fingers through his hair, nodding and whispering to him, pleading. "Mmnnm, Herbie… Yes, God. Please, honey… Herbie, please. Yes…Mmnnmmm…"

Her eyes sprang open when she felt one of the babies kick the center of her stomach, right where Herbie was kissing her. He paused, his fingers ceasing their movement as he stared at the place he'd been kissing.

"Herbie, don't worry about it," she muttered breathlessly, caressing his cheek. She bucked her hips against his hand. "Come on, honey, it's fine. I need you. Please?"

"Oh, my God, Rose!" he gasped, pulling his fingers from between her thighs and scooting away from her on the bed. "Oh, my…. What if they can feel it? What if they can _see_ every time I touch you?"

"I'm sure they can't," she assured him, reaching for him.

"My penis coming at them must terrify them! I can't believe I didn't think about it before!"

"Herbie-"

"What if we've already scarred them for life by making love?" he interrupted her. "Oh, my God! I'm a terrible father!"

"Herbie, I had sex with my first husband when I was pregnant with Louise and she turned out fine."

"But she's so timid and afraid of men! What if that's why?"

"Well, I had sex when I was carrying June, too! It's _fine!_ The doctor said it was _fine_!" she argued, already loosing her temper. "Now will you _please_ come back here? I can't be chasing you anymore. I can't move that fast!"

"I'm gonna get you some warm milk to put them to sleep, okay?" he nodded at her, starting to walk away.

"Herbie? Herbie! You get back here!" she called at his retreating form, shaking in anger as she attempted to haul herself out of the middle of the bed and feeling very much like a turtle on its back as she scrambled.

Huffing, she finally succeeded in getting out of the bed and waddling to the door. She glared at him as he carried a steaming mug toward her. She bit back a growl as she waddled away from their bedroom door and to the bathroom.

"Rose? Honey, why don't you have some milk?" he called, carrying the mug carefully.

"I don't want _milk_ , Herbie. I want _sex_! But you decided I can't have that! So I'm drawing myself a bath," she snapped, standing beside the claw-foot tub as she watched it fill with water.

"Lay down. I'll fix your bath. You shouldn't be on your feet."

"I can draw my own bath, Herbie. I'm quite capable. And stay out of this bathroom. If I can't have you inside me, I don't wanna see you at all right now."

"Rose," he rested his hands on her hips, trying to guide her back to the bed.

"Get out."

"Ro-"

"Get. OUT!" she hollered, turning to face him, angry at herself and at him because she still wanted him.

"Rosie, please. I'm just worried about the babies, hon-"

She silenced him by pushing him against the wall and pressing her lips to his hungrily. She took one of his hands in hers and guided it around her stomach and between her thighs, pressing against herself with his fingers and moaning lightly into his mouth in response.

"Rose-"

"If you tell me no again, you'd better start running and hope I don't catch you because I will have my way with you until we both die of exhaustion, just out of spite," she threatened, taking her hands off of his and taking a single step backwards to glare menacingly.

He smiled at her, taking her hands in his and kissing her knuckles. "No, my Rose. I was just going to say that I don't want you on your feet while we make love. Why don't you lay down in the tub?" He guided her to the tub, helping her step into it and maneuver into a seated position.

He tilted her head back, covering her lips with his as he poured water over her frizzy curls. She shivered as the warm water trickled down her back, curling her fingers in his hair and pulling his mouth hard against hers.

Her eyelids fluttered, her back arching, as Herbie poured warm water down her front, letting it trickle over her heaving breasts and swollen stomach as his fingers followed the water's path tantalizingly slow. She gasped against his lips when she finally felt the fullness of his fingers invading her, his thumb circling her clit slowly as he moved his fingers just deeply enough to elicit a response. She purred, bucking her hips against the teasingly light pressure.

"He-Herbie," she pleaded, whimpering as he moved his kisses lower and kissing her neck, sucking at her pulse point. Her thighs closed, shaking in anticipation, around his forearm as he pressed purposefully against her clit. "God, Herbie… Oh, G-ahh, ahh, ahh! Pl-please, He-Herbie!" She swallowed, her head tipping back as her hands fell to the sides of the tub. She dug her nails into the shining porcelain, whimpering incoherently as her back arched. "Ye-yes. Righ-right there. Harder. Just- a little-Please, Herbie. Pl-please…"

He wrapped his free arm behind her back, supporting her as her body started squeezing around him. She squealed, whimpered moans escaping her full lips as she rolled her hips against his hand again. They could both feel how close she was, her muscles closing around his fingers. He added a third finger, rocking his fingers upward as he pressed suddenly against her clit.

"HERBIE!" she screamed, her eyes closed as she gripped the tub forcefully, pleasure rolling through her system and assaulting her senses as she climaxed hard against his hand. Squeals and moans continued bubbling up from deep in her throat, words escaping her as her body continued rocking with each wave of pleasure, her screams of pleasure finally dying into quiet whimpers. She laid back against the tub, parting her thighs and letting Herbie withdraw his fingers as she gasped and panted for proper breaths.

"I- love you- you know," she panted, blinking up at him, too tired to move as he began slowly washing her, rinsing the sweat, dirt, and cum from her body as she continued lying there limply.

He pressed a soft kiss to her lips before reaching for the shampoo and washing her damp curls, "I know, Rosie." He sighed, massaging the shampoo into her hair gently, yet purposefully. "I just wish you would let me do more for you. Like this. I could help you bathe so you could relax."

"I can wash myself just fine, Herbie," she answered, her tone just a little too sharp. He started to pull away before she gripped his forearm with the hand closest to him. "Not right now… It feels nice," she relaxed against the back of the tub again, sighing contently as Herbie pressed a light kiss to the tip of her nose.

"Sit up," he coaxed, helping her to do so before rinsing the shampoo from her hair before letting her relax again. "I just mean, you're carrying twins- _Our_ twins. I wish you would let me do more, Rosie."

"You did your part, honey," she told him, idly patting his arm. "You can help again in the delivery room."

"How? You'll be pushing, not me."

"You've never had kids before," she laughed. "The father gets to stand around in the delivery room so the mother has someone to yell and throw things at."

He stopped pouring water over her stomach, his brows furrowed, clearly not sure if she was kidding or not. He opened his mouth to ask when she continued speaking.

"Right now, though, I need you to help me stand up and get out of the tub," she sighed, opening her eyes and smiling at his confused features. She leaned forward, kissing him gently. "Up?"

He smiled and nodded, standing up to his full height before leaning down and gripping her elbows gently to haul her into a standing position. "Wait a second and I'll get you a towel?" She nodded, stretching her arms out for him when he came back so he could wrap the towel around her before she leaned against him for assistance as she climbed out of the tub.

To soothe his ego, she fought her desire to pull out of his grasp, instead letting him support some of her weight as she waddled towards the bed. She gratefully collapsed on the bed, scooting up so her soaked hair covered a pillow as she obediently rolled onto her side to take her weight off her stomach. He climbed into the bed beside her, putting his hand on her belly as he molded his body against hers and kissed the back of her neck.

"I love you, Rose," he breathed, his breath hot against her dripping curls, as his eyes drifted close.

"I love you, honey," she answered, taking his hand in hers and kissing his palm before settling it back on her stomach and covering it with her own, knowing how much he liked to feel the baby-ies, she mentally corrected herself- kick when he-they- started waking up.

"Those are our _babies_ , Rosie," he muttered, gently rubbing her stomach. "Our babies are gonna be born soon. Just a few weeks." He felt her nod sleepily and squeeze his hand.


	4. Delivery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Rose," he started, kneeling behind his wife and putting his hands on her hips as she kicked off her shoes. He leaned forward and kissed the back of her neck lightly. "I love you. So much. Thank you so much, Rosie. It's all I ever wanted; a wife and children to love. You've made me so happy."

"Rose," he started, kneeling behind his wife and putting his hands on her hips as she kicked off her shoes. He leaned forward and kissed the back of her neck lightly. "I love you. So much. Thank you so much, Rosie. It's all I ever wanted; a wife and children to love. You've made me so happy."

"You act like I did this on my own," she snorted, kicking her feet again in an attempt to get her shoe off. She generally initiated all their "tender moments" so she hadn't given the way Herbie had kissed her a second thought. "You definitely helped."

He peeled her coat from her arms, throwing it behind them, before kissing her neck again as his fingers began working the buttons of her maternity dress. "I love you, Rosie. I love you," he whispered, trailing soft kisses from the back of her neck to behind her ear and down the side of her neck.

Her eyes fluttered and she leaned against him, raising her hands in front of her and tearing at the buttons. "I love you, too, Herbie," she whispered, her breathing already labored. She turned around and hungrily pressed her lips to his, her tongue searching his mouth as her fingers started ripping at the buttons of his shirt as he pulled her dress off her body.

She started kissing his neck, sucking and nipping playfully as her fingers descended on his belt. She stiffened suddenly, sucking in a breath as pain rolled through her abdomen and to her back.

"What is it?" he asked, looking down at her as his fingers spread across her stomach. "What's wrong? The babies?"

She closed her eyes tightly, shaking her head as the pain ebbed. "No, nothing. It's fine, I'm fine, they're fine. Everything's fine," she told him and herself. Couldn't be contractions. She was only on her thirty-sixth week. She wasn't due for another three or four weeks. She pressed her full lips to one of his sensitive points just above his collar bone as she unzipped his pants and rubbed him slowly through the fabric.

Seemingly appeased, he massaged her sides slowly, running his hands up and down them before unhitching her bra and freeing her ample breasts from their cloth prison. She whimpered when he ground his palms against her taut nipples.

"Oh, God, honey…. I want you so much," she breathed against his skin before again pressing her lips to his urgently. She missed, so much, feeling him lying on top of her when they kissed; missed feeling his weight crushing her deliciously as his fiery skin burned against her own. She liked variety as much as the next girl, but she didn't like having to _always_ be on top. It took the fun out of it!

"I want you too, Rose," he whispered, shrugging out of his shirt before pushing his pants down to his knees. He pulled away from her long enough to strip himself entirely before helping her ease back against the pillows in a comfortably seated position. He laid next to her, kissing and sucking at her neck as his fingers moved slowly over her stomach. Her eyelids fluttered and she whimpered again in response.

He slipped his fingers past the elastic of her cotton panties, circling her clit with his first two fingers as her hips bucked against the teasingly light pressure.

Then pain was pushing through her abdomen again, slowly working from her front to her back. Herbie didn't notice the way she suddenly stiffened, didn't see her facial features contort with the sudden pain. And then it was gone again and she relaxed under his touch, moaning quietly as his fingers invaded her.

"Herbie," she swallowed, already pushing the pain from her mind. She pushed at the elastic of her panties, pushing them over her hips and down her thighs before trying to scoot closer to him.

He took her none-too-subtle hint, whisking her panties from her legs before helping her maneuver so she was straddling him. She gripped the headboard, moving until he's slid into her and filled her. Her head lolled back as she continued moving on him slowly and she heard him let out a deep groan of appreciation. She moaned quietly, too, before hissing as pain again gripped her. Her nails dug into the wood and she stopped moving, squeezing her eyes against the pain.

"What is it, Rose?" he asked, concerned. He reached up, caressing her cheek and she leaned into his touch. "Too deep?"

"No. No, it's fine, honey," she croaked, forcing herself to move as the pain started to ebb again.

It _couldn't_ be contractions. She _couldn't_ be in labor. She'd carried June and Louise both full term and she wasn't due for another four weeks. She couldn't _possibly_ be in labor. It must be-what did the doctor call it? - Braxton Hicks. False labor.

She moved, riding him determinedly and making him let out another deep groan of pleasure. She could feel her heart hammering away in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins, as Herbie ran his hands down her sides again. She wasn't getting any closer. Frustrated, she lowered one hand from the headboard, taking Herbie's hand and leading it away from her sides and between her thighs.

"Touch me," she whimpered, hoping that his teasing her clit again would bring her closer.

Obediently, he moved the pad of his thumb slowly over her clit, bucking his hips and making her squeal.

Yes, there it was. She could feel it now, sense her release on the horizon. No need to worry.

And then she whimpered, biting her lower lip, as pain suddenly pulsed through her abdomen and she felt a warm trickle between her thighs.

It _can't_ be. Maybe he finished?

"Did you just-" he trailed off, looking up at her with confusion in his bright blue eyes.

So much for it being him.

"… Noooo," she answered, her movements ceasing.

"Was that-?"

"… I think so," she nodded, looking at him fearfully.

"Doesn't that mean-?"

She nodded again, trying-unsuccessfully-to remove herself from his form. He helped her pull herself from him, letting her collapse next to him.

They were both sweaty and unsatisfied as he handed her back her clothing and she started to shimmy into her panties. She bit back another whimper, trying to ignore the pain that was working its way through her abdomen again, as she pulled her bra on and pulled her dress over her head. She slowly did each button, her hands shaking uncontrollably, as Herbie dressed quickly beside her.

"Girls!" she called when they were both fully dressed. Herbie began hurriedly throwing her clothing into a suitcase, trying to stay calm despite his excitement. "Girls!"

Louise knocked timidly before June pushed the door open.

"Yes, mama?" she asked.

She forced a smile for her girls, "June, baby, call your grandpa and see if he minds us dropping you off."

"Why? We can take care of ourselves for a night, mama. We're not babies," June interrupted, glaring at her mother, completely oblivious to Herbie's frazzled packing.

"Yes, you are," she growled, not in the mood to argue. "You're _my_ babies and I told you to call him."

"We can stay one night, ma-"

"Call your grandfather, June," Herbie instructed, cutting off June's plea for independence as he continued throwing clothes into a suitcase.

Herbie _never_ told them what to do.

"What's wrong?" Louise asked from behind her sister.

Rose's hands fell to her stomach, her face contorted in pain, as another contraction worked its way through her system. "Just call!"

They'd never seen their mother in pain and June just stared at her mother, dumbstruck, as Louise took several steps forward and placed a hand across her mother's stomach. She smiled at her mother before pressing a kiss to her forehead and rushing to the phone, leaving a still-shocked June behind.

"But- What are- Are you-" the blonde stammered.

"Grandpa said it's fine, mama!" Louise announced, barreling into the room again and colliding with her younger sister. "Come on, June. We gotta pack!" She pulled the younger girl from the room, leaving the two adults alone again.

Herbie closed the suitcase before standing in front of his wife and helping her to stand up.

"I don't understand," Rose muttered as Herbie hauled her to her feet. One hand immediately went to her stomach and the other to her back as she stood. "I'm not due for another three or four weeks."

Herbie wrapped an arm around her waist, her suitcase clutched tightly in his other hand, as he led her from their bedroom and to the front door, letting her ramble to herself about how it didn't make sense. After all, whether or not it made sense, the babies were coming now. "I'll be right back, honey. I'm gonna get the girls." He put her suitcase by the door before returning to her side, running his hands up and down her arms in a calming manner as he looked at her.

She nodded, biting her lower lip to stifle a growl of pain as another contraction washed over her. He nodded in return, offering her a weak smile before hurrying to the room June and Louise shared.

He returned shortly, the girls and their small suitcases in tow, and slid an arm around her waist again as he picked up her suitcase. "Girls, get in the car," he directed as Rose attempted to control her breathing.

"Hee, hee, hooo," she kept repeating, one of the only things she remembered from being in labor with June.

She didn't talk much in the car, only offering her love for her girls and her thanks to Papa when they dropped the girls off. She only grunted, wincing, when the contractions would pulse through her abdomen.

"Did- umm- did you think about names, Rosie?" he asked, patting her knee idly in his attempt to distract her from the contractions. She only shook her head, attempting a smile for him before squeezing his hand as she continued her breathing exercises. "Well… Did you think about the names I suggested? Nancy, Penny, Nicholas, or Paul? I was thinking, maybe Parker instead of Paul. What do you think, honey?"

"Herbie, honey," she said, her voice very even as her features contorted with pain again, betraying her resolve to not show her pain as she squeezed his hand tightly. "Not right now, okay? Please?"

He nodded, hating to see her in pain. "Nearly there," he assured her, rubbing the back of her hand lightly with his thumb.

He rushed from the car and into the emergency room entrance, excitedly shouting that his wife was in labor. She was clutching her stomach, forcing herself to breathe as another contraction rolled through her, when he returned for her with the wheelchair.

"Honey, come on, I'll take you inside," he told her, positioning the wheelchair by her car door. "The babies are coming; I can't believe it! I'm so excited, Ro-"

"Herbie," she growled, gritting her teeth and fixing him with a dangerous glare as she clutched her stomach. "Shut. Up. You yellin' isn't gonna make the babies come out any sooner and it sure as _hell_ ain't gonna make me move any faster. Now _help_ me."

Wide-eyed, he reached out and gingerly assisted her in getting out of the car before easing her into the wheelchair and briskly pushing her through the doors.

"Excuse me," he greeted the woman at the desk. "My wife is in labor and-"

"Get me a doctor!" she hollered, interrupting him as she tried to peer over the desk.

"Rose, please calm down. I'll take care of this, of you and the babies," he told her, smiling happily down at her.

"Ma'am, there's no need to yell."

At that, Rose smacked Herbie, pushing him out of the way and moving the wheelchair she was in backwards so she could see the desk attendant. "The _hell_ there isn't! I got two babies fighting to come out and I'm in _pain_!"

"Miss-"

"Get me a damn doctor!" she interrupted, yelling again and calling attention to them.

The desk attendant nodded obediently, turning to dial the number of the maternity ward.

"Rose-"

"Don't. Start."

He, too, nodded obediently, wheeling her in the direction the petrified desk attendant was pointing.

Not surprisingly, she was assigned a room moments later and Herbie helped her into her hospital gown before she climbed into the bed.

"Rosie, honey, can I get you anything?" he asked tentatively, gripping her hand as he sat beside her.

She growled in response, gripping his hand tighter as she covered her stomach with her free hand.

"Rose-"

"Shut. Up."

"Are you in pain?" he asked, moving his other hand to cover hers on her stomach.

"Yes," she exhaled.

"Wh-What kind of pain, ho-"

"The kind that _hurts_ , Herbie," she growled, cutting him off. She sighed and relaxed against her pillows, the contraction passing. "Honey? Get me some water?"

He smiled at her, nodding. He kissed the back of his hand before going off in search of water for his wife.

He heard her yelling before he even got back to the room.

"No! Don't you _dare_! I said no, damn it!" she was shrieking. He heard something heavy hit the wall and he started running, knowing she had started throwing things. "Don't you _touch_ me! - HERBIE! HERBIE! - WHERE is my husband? NO! Don't _touch_ me!"

"What is it, honey?" he asked, flying into the room as a vase connected with the wall in front of him. He stepped over the puddle of water and pieces of broken glass, taking the hand of his crying wife.

"They- Don't touch me! - wanna put a needle in my back and I told them no. I don't _like_ needles and I don't _want_ one in my spine. Herbie, make them stop!" she complained, grunting through another contraction as she tightly gripped his hand and smacked a nurse away.

"Sir, it will relieve her pain. It's an epidural. They're a relatively new invention but they really help," the nurse was saying as she tried to get at Rose's back. Rose growled and pushed the nurse away again. "Sir, please control your wife."

"Get outta my room!" Rose yelled again, still squeezing Herbie's hand. "If you come near me with that damn needle again, I'm gonna stick _you_ with it!"

"I think you should go," he told the nurse firmly, standing and crossing so he stood between Rose and the nurse.

Shaking her head, the nurse left only to have a doctor come in minutes later.

"Mrs. Sommers?" the doctor asked, looking at her medical chart.

Rose ignored him, turning to her husband, "I'm tired, Herbie." She tugged him into a seated position beside her on the bed and leaned against him, closing her eyes.

"Mrs. Sommers, ma'am? We need to see how much you're dilated," the doctor explained, gently pulling her sheets from her legs and leaving them at the foot of the bed making Rose growl in response. Both Rose's and Herbie's eyes shot open, Rose squeaking in indignation when the doctor used his fingers to check how dilated she was.

"Ex- _cuse_ you! Who do you think you _are!_ " she roared, trying to reach around her stomach to bat his hand from between her thighs. She turned to Herbie, and fixing him with a face that _clearly_ said "DO SOMETHING!"

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice drenched in confusion and concern.

"Don't worry about it, Mister Sommers," the doctor smiled, pulling his fingers back without a second look at Rose. "I just had to see how dilated your wife is. She's at about 8 and a half centimeters. Less than an hour now, folks!"

Rose glared angrily, reaching beside her and pulling the phone from the wall to throw it at the door as the doctor left. "Why didn't you _do_ something?" she growled at her husband, clutching her stomach in anger as another contraction worked its way through her. "You just let some random man _touch_ me, Herbie!"

"He's the doctor, Ro-"

"I don't care if he's Florenz Ziegfeld!" she snarled, pushing him away from her as the contraction faded. Less than a minute later, she was whimpering and reaching for him again as a fresh wave of contractions hit her anew. "Herbie!"

"I'm here, Rosie, I'm here," he told her, sitting beside her and holding her small hand in both of his against his chest.

"Hee, hee, hoo," she breathed, clutching his hand desperately and Herbie couldn't tell when one contraction ended and another started anymore, she just appeared to be constantly in pain. "Herbie, honey, they're ready to come out," she managed, panting and gasping.

"The doctor said it would be about another hour, honey," he answered.

"I don't _care_ what he said," she growled between pants. "I'm _telling_ you: They. Want. Out." Her free hand suddenly flew to her mouth and she moved to get up.

"Honey, you really can't be on your feet," he told her, forcing her to stay in the bed before she wrenched out of his grasp and waddled as quickly as she could to the bathroom. He followed her, walking in to the sound of her vomiting before she accepted his help in standing, letting him lead her back to the bed.

"I'm tired, and it _hurts_ ," she whined, leaning back against the pillows as he pulled the sheets back up to her stomach. "It hurts _everywhere_ and my _back_ hurts and… Herbie, I'm _tired._ "

"I know, Rosie, I know," he told her, sitting beside her again and sliding his hand between her body and the pillows to gently massage her lower back. She whimpered, his actions slightly relieving the pain in her lower back even as another contraction pushed through her.

"Are you cold, honey? You're trembling," he soothed, kissing the top of her head before pushing her sweat-dampened curls away from her face with his free hand.

She shook her head, her features contorting in pain even as she started dozing against him, "No, I'm _hot_. It's so _hot_ in here."

She woke up less than thirty minutes later to an extremely painful contraction ripping through her and she screamed in pain. Herbie automatically went to her side, taking her hand.

"Do you want the doctor?" he asked her quietly. She whimpered, forcing herself to hold back a scream of pain. "Rose?"

She growled in response, unable to form words.

"Mrs. Sommers, I think we're ready to bring you to the delivery room," the doctor announced cheerfully, having heard her scream of pain.

She was barely aware of anything as they took her to the delivery room, putting her feet in the stirrups as Herbie was instructed to change into a gown like the doctor's.

"Mrs. Sommers, I want you to push with the next contraction. Can you do that?" the doctor asked her.

She whimpered, her eyes scanning the room for Herbie but seeing only medical instruments and doctors and nurses she'd never seen before. "Where's Herbie?" she croaked, her mouth dry.

"Your husband will be right in, ma'am, but I need you to push, okay?"

"No. Herbie? HERBIE!" she screamed, reaching for him despite his not being there. "HERBIE!"

"Mrs. Sommers, ma'am, I need you to push," the doctor repeated.

And her body's instincts kicked in, pushing as the contraction hit her and she growled through the pain. Her eyes shot open when a pair of hands took hers. She grit her teeth, pushing through the pain, as she squeezed the hand.

"I'm here, Rosie. I'm right here," he told her, kissing her forehead. "You're doing great."

"Good," the doctor said as she fell back against the pillows. "The next contraction should hit in about two minutes and I should be able to see the first baby's head after that push."

She squeaked when the next contraction started-right on time- and started pushing as Herbie whispered soothing words of encouragement in her ear.

"Okay, I can see the head, ma'am. One big push will get baby's head and shoulders out."

She pushed, feeling like her whole body was going to explode, until the scream of pain bubbling up in her throat was made vocal by the new being in the room. She fell, exhausted, back against the pillows, letting go of Herbie's hand and wiping the sweat and hair from her face.

"It's a boy!" the doctor announced. "Do you want to cut the cord, 'dad'?"

Herbie could barely form words as he stood by his wife's legs and the baby boy was placed in his arms. "Rose! Rosie, look! Look what we did! Look at him! He's beautiful!" She nodded weakly. "Ten perfect little fingers, ten perfect little toes…" He cut the cord before taking the baby to his wife, cooing "That's your mommy!"

"Okay, I don't want anyone to worry. I'm sure it's nothing big, but the second baby's cord seems to have prolapsed."

"What?" Rose asked, jerking up and out of her stupor. "What? What does that mean?"

"Well, I don't want you push when the next contraction hits, okay? I need to fix baby two's cord."

"What does that mean, 'prolapsed'?" she demanded hysterically. "What does that mean? Tell me what's happening to my baby!"

"Rose, calm down. I'm sure everything will be fine," Herbie told her, his free hand on her shoulder as he continued rocking their baby boy back and forth.

"Please, lay down, ma'am."

She did as instructed, still demanding answers as she did so, "What does that _mean?_ Is he okay?" She felt the doctor pushing what she could only assume was "baby two's cord" back into her before he ordered her to push. She grabbed Herbie's arm with one hand and the side of the bed with the other and pushed with everything she had, forgetting pain entirely, when the contraction hit. She could feel the baby being pushed out of her, but she didn't hear a scream. She sat up, grabbing her knees so she could look over her belly, her exhaustion forgotten. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Ma'am-"

"NO! Tell me what's wrong! What's wrong with my baby? Why isn't he crying?"

"It's a girl," a nurse offered.

"Fine, _she_. Why isn't _she_ crying? What's wrong? Is she okay? What happened?" Herbie was hovering by her legs again, his face looking tight and forced. "Herbie! Herbie, what is it? What's wrong? Is she okay?" she demanded, pulling on the sleeve of the gown the hospital gave him. "Tell me what's wrong! What's wrong with my baby?" she was crying now, thick tears sliding down her cheeks as she pulled at Herbie's arm. "TELL ME!"

"Your baby, ma'am," the doctor started, his face just as forced as Herbie's. "She didn't ma-"

"NO! No don't tell me that! She did! She has to! FIX her!" she sobbed. "Fix her, damn it! She _did_ make it! She has to!"

"I'm so sorry, ma'am," the doctor whispered, he and the nurses going through the motions and cleaning Rose up even as she continued yelling.

"No! No, damn it! Let me see her! I wanna see my baby!" she demanded, even as her clean baby boy was pushed into her arms and Herbie hovered beside her.

Herbie gently massaged her shoulders, "Honey, just-"

"No!" she wrenched out of his grasp, carrying her baby boy with her as she followed the doctor out of her room on unsteady legs. "I said I wanna see her!"

"What? Mrs. Sommers, you really need to be in bed."

"No! I want to see my baby girl, damn it!"

With a sigh, he turned around, her baby girl in his arms. She choked on her own voice, extending a shaking hand to caress the girl's cheek.

"Rose!" Herbie exclaimed, wrapping an arm around her and trying to steer her away before she could really memorize the baby's face. Defiantly, she stood her ground as fresh tears flowed down her cheeks.

"C-Can I h-hold her?" she croaked, handing their baby boy to Herbie and extending her arms. The doctor again gave in with a sigh. Rose instinctively cradled the baby's head, holding her close to her breasts as she turned and leaned against Herbie's chest. "He-Herbie," she cried, pillowing her face against him as she looked at both of her babies. "P-Parker, this is your sister, Nancy," she forced out before dissolving in tears again.

"What happened?" Herbie asked the doctor, running his free hand up and down Rose's back and letting her cry.

"The cord prolapsed during the early stages of delivery of the first baby and by the time we could do anything about it, the cord's prolapse had already caused a lack of oxygen for baby two and it died of asphyxiation."

"'Baby two' has a name!" Rose growled, turning angrily on her heel. "Her name is Nancy! And if you _idiots_ had done your job _right_ , she would still be with us!"

"That's quite enough, Mrs. Sommers," the doctor responded icily. "Now, if you'll give 'Nancy' back, we'll take her to the hospital morgue."

"Absolutely not! I won't let you just throw her in with all those corpses like she's some nameless, faceless pet to be put down."

"Rose-"

" _No_ , Herbie. I'm her mother, she's my baby. She's _your_ baby. And you want me to just let them take her to some incinerator in the basement? Over my dead body!" she took Parker in her other arm before striding back to her room.

When Herbie walked back into the room-after apologizing profusely to the doctor- he found his wife sitting on the floor not far inside the room, her exhaustion and sadness finally catching up with her and preventing her from making it to the bed. She was forcing happy coos out between sobs as she rocked both babies in her arms. With a sad smile, he pulled her up from the floor and ushered her to the bed.

"Rosie, sleep, please?"

"N-No! They'll take her!"

"I won't let them. I'll call your father and have him make arrangements with the funeral parlor. And they'll come pick her up, okay?" he pulled the sheets up past her stomach, knowing better than to try to take either baby from her. "Parker needs to sleep, too, Rosie. And when he wakes up, you need to try to breastfeed, okay?"

"But what about Nancy?" she asked, still clutching her babies even as she leaned back against the pillows gratefully.

"I won't give her to anyone but your father, okay?" he reached tentatively for their babies, not surprised in the least when she didn't surrender them.

"No," she shook her head, her eyes darting from one baby's face to the other as she rocked them gently. "Call Papa first." She watched as baby Parker's eyes drifted closed and he fell asleep before looking back to Nancy. "And I want Parker to stay with me while he sleeps."

"Okay, Rosie," he nodded, leaving her alone so he could find a payphone. When he came back, Rose was dozing, less than half-awake as she sang snatches of lullabies and clutched her babies to her chest. He reached past her head and pressed the call button, a nurse appearing and preparing to take the small family back to the room they had been waiting in earlier.

"What's going on?" Rose demanded, coming back to her senses and clutching both babies tighter as the nurse began pulling her bed away from the wall.

"Shhh, Rosie, it's okay. She's taking us back to your room," he explained, his tones quiet and soothing.

Rose all but growled at the nurse when she moved to take Parker from her. "Don't touch my baby," she snarled, pulling away and scooting over in the bed.

"Ma'am-"

"Herbie? HERBIE!"

"Honey, it's okay!"

"You can't have them!" she snapped at the nurse, her eyes red and puffy from crying as they flicked down to her babies. The nurse immediately withdrew her hands, snapping them back against her own chest as though she'd been burned, at Rose's statement.

Rose opened her mouth, preparing to yell at the nurse again, when she was suddenly forced to look downward by an insistent pulling of her hair. Her chocolate orbs met Parker's bright blue ones and she faltered, words failing her. She moved her arm slightly and Parker took her index finger in his other hand, curling his tiny fingers around her much larger finger before yawning and continuing to blink up at her.

"Oh," she smiled down at him, laughter bubbling up and slipping through her full lips. "Herbie! He has your eyes! Don't you, Parker! You have your daddy's eyes!" she cooed happily, shaking her head and smiling as he refused to relinquish his grip on her red curls. "Look at 'im, Herbie! He's got your blue eyes! Oh, honey, he's perfect."

"He sure is, Rosie," Herbie smiled, sitting down beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"You know," she sniffed, " _she_ would've been perfect, too, Herbie." She held both babies tighter, letting herself get lost in Parker's bright blue eyes.

The nurse stared awkwardly at her feet as silence fell over the room.

"Wh-ahem-When is Papa coming to pick up Nancy?" Rose whispered, moving her index finger slightly in order to shift Parker's attention to their moving fingers.

"He said he'd come as soon as he could. Less than an hour, maybe. How about you let _me_ hold Nancy and you can just hold Parker so the nurse can take us back to your room?"

"Why can't I hold them both?"

"Well, she doesn't want you to dr-"

"I'm not gonna drop my babies," she growled, interrupting him and snapping her eyes up for a split second to glare at the nurse before smiling at Parker again. "Am I, baby? No! Mama would never drop you!" she cooed, her voice bright and cheerful.

"Yes, ma'am," the nurse nodded, looking close to tears herself as she moved forward and started pushing Rose's bed from the room and to the elevator as Herbie followed close behind.

"Is Papa bringing the girls, Herbie?" she called over her shoulder. "Cause I want them to meet Parker, but I don't know if it would be good for them to meet Nancy."

"I'm not sure, Rose," he answered, raising his voice even as etiquette told him not to do so while in a hospital.

They rode the elevator to the eighth floor before the nurse pushed Rose's bed into her room and reattached it to the wall before scampering away.

"Here, Herbie. Hold Nancy so I can feed Parker," Rose instructed, surrendering her hold on her baby girl for the first time since she'd been allowed to hold her. Herbie, of course, took Nancy as per instruction, holding her protectively close. She cooed quietly, rocking him gently as she adjusted her gown and humming quietly when he began suckling.

She was only vaguely aware of a loud gasp before her door was shut and Herbie rushed from the room.

"That's mama's _hungry boy_ ," she cooed, caressing his cheek lightly with the index finger of her free hand as he drank hungrily. "You're mama's _hungry-wungry baby-waby_ , aren't you?" He stared up at her, his eyes beginning to droop before he detached himself from her breast and began dozing against her once more. She moved him as little as possible as she righted her gown only to look up and see Herbie peering into the room.

"Your-um- your father wants to know if you're done feeding before he comes back in," he said awkwardly, avoiding her gaze.

She laughed quietly, her body rocking with her stifled laughter, as she gestured that they could come in with her free hand before bringing a solitary finger to her full lips. "Quiet though. Parker's sleeping." As if on cue, Parker wrapped his fingers around her index finger again and she shifted to accommodate him.

"Mama!" Louise cried, pushing past Herbie and hugging her mother.

Rose smiled, hugging her daughter tightly with her free hand before kissing her forehead. "Shhh, Louise. You'll wake your brother." She was beaming as she tipped him down slightly so her oldest daughter could see her baby brother. "Here," she scooted to the extreme middle of the bed to leave room for her daughters on either side of her. "Sit with me."

Louise happily climbed into the bed beside her mother, her gaze now fixed on the face of her baby brother.

"June, dear? Don't you wanna see your baby brother?"

June shook her head once, hovering behind her grandfather.

"What's wrong, baby?" Rose asked, her brow furrowing in confusion as she continued to rock the small baby in her arms. Then her attention shifted suddenly to her father, "Papa! Papa, did you see her? Isn't she just perfect? She's beautiful! And you haven't seen Parker yet! Come see 'im."

Her father smiled and nodded as he stepped forward to peer over Louise's shoulder at his grandson. "Well, look at him! He's gonna be a strong lad. He can go into the railroad company like I did!"

"He ain't goin' into the railroad company, Papa," she said immediately as she smiled down at her sleeping son. "He's gonna be a director."

"Oh, you're not gonna make him sing?" Herbie asked, smiling at his wife and son.

Rose looked up and her eyes met with his, "Oh, honey… No child of yours should ever sing. Or dance. Or be on stage. But he's gonna be the next Ziegfeld!"

"He-Herbie? I… I wanna hold her again before Papa takes her," Rose said, looking pointedly at the small bundle in her husband's arms. Her father wordlessly guided Louise to the other side of the bed so Rose could hold Nancy with her free arm. She leaned down and pressed a firm kiss to the baby's forehead, tears falling from her eyes again. "I love you, little Nancy," she whispered. "And I will never forget you, never."

She bit back tears, clutching Parker desperately, when Herbie gently took Nancy from her grasp. Her father took the small child in his arms before pressing a kiss to Rose's matted curls and padding from the room.

Even Louise seemed to understand that something terrible had happened. She sat on her mother's side looking sad and withdrawn as she leaned her head on her mother's shoulder. June, however, was still hovering by the foot of the bed and staring at her feet.

"Rosie? Are you-"

"I'm okay," she interrupted, forcing a smile. She reached for him with her free hand, squeezing his hand gratefully when he laced his fingers with hers. "I'm okay, honey." Parker pulled at her hair again in his sleep as though to remind her that he was there and she smiled down at him. "I'm okay."


	5. Six Weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She kissed him hungrily, almost growling as she rolled them over so he was on top of her. "Herbie," she breathed, caressing his neck with one hand as the other fell to the waistband of his boxers to push insistently.

She kissed him hungrily, almost growling as she rolled them over so he was on top of her. "Herbie," she breathed, caressing his neck with one hand as the other fell to the waistband of his boxers to push insistently.

"Honey, oh God… I've missed you so much," Herbie whispered, kissing her neck gently, tugging on her earlobe with his teeth as he ran one of his hands down her side before helping push at his boxers.

"Me too, honey," she answered breathlessly, already tugging his lips back to her own. She was-shockingly- less concerned with sex than with exactly what they were doing right then. She'd missed his loving kisses and feeling his weight, his hot skin, on top of her. "Me too."

Rose moaned softly when he rolled his clothed hips against hers, her nails suddenly digging into his shoulders as she was reminded of her desire to feel him moving inside her. She pushed him back and sat up as she started tearing at her own clothing, pulling her nightgown over her head before pushing her panties down her hips. Herbie couldn't help but stare at her, momentarily forgetting to strip himself.

They hadn't even tried to make love since the night Rose had given birth to their twins and he'd almost forgotten how breathtaking and beautiful she was when fully exposed to him.

Her stomach was already mostly flat, only six weeks after she'd given birth. Her figure was still fuller than before but her curvier frame just turned him on more. Her breasts were considerably fuller, much more than when they'd first gotten together and even slightly more so than when she'd been pregnant-the doctor had said that this would happen if and when she breastfed but he hadn't believed they could get any larger than when she'd been pregnant. He knew he would be lying if he said that he didn't find her even more gorgeous and desirable. But she refused to hear about it. She, of course, missed her trim form from before her most recent pregnancy. She'd actually been hoping her body would bounce back the way it had after June. It did, but not in the way she'd wanted. Instead, her body bounced back in a way that made Herbie happier.

"What?" she breathed, her chest heaving as she stared back at him. "What's wrong?"

"Y-You're gorgeous," he admitted, making her blush a light shade of pink.

"Oh, stop," she waved aside his compliment, leaning forward and leaving open mouth kisses above his heart as she started pushing at the waistband of his boxers again. She pushed his boxers down to his knees, one of her palms running over his muscular chest as the other teased his thighs and hardening length.

"Oh, God, Rosie… I want you," he groaned, forcing her to lay back down as he pushed into her. His mouth found hers and he swallowed the small gasp of pain that escaped her plump lips. "-What?"

"I-" she shook her head, biting her lip as she mentally assessed the pain between her thighs.

"No, what's wrong?" he repeated, his blue eyes bearing into her chocolate ones. "Are you okay?"

"It's nothing, Herbie."

"Rose-"

"I- It- It hurt is all. It's _fine_ , okay? It's not a big deal," she started rambling, gently caressing his cheek to assuage him.

"What hurt?"

"I-" she sighed, "You."

"What?" Herbie asked, obviously confused. "What do you mean, 'You'?"

She pursed her lips in irritation, "It's not a difficult concept, Herbie. You hurt me."

"When?"

Clucking her tongue in anger, she bit back a sigh. "Just now, Herbie. What other time could I possibly be talking about that I didn't think to bring it up till now?"

" _How_?"

"When you-" She cut herself off, growling in anger and moving to push him off of her. "Ya know what? I just wanna get some sleep, okay? Get off of me."

"No! Rose! Talk to me, honey. What's wrong?" He pushed her hands off him, pinning them by her head to keep her from pushing him away. "Talk to me."

"Herbie, I'm tired. I don't wanna play games, okay? Cut it out," she was fighting the urge to glare, knowing it wouldn't help her.

Herbie felt her tense below him and knew she was preparing herself to flip their positions so she could roll away from him. He looked into her eyes and moved his hips slowly against hers before kissing her gently. Still watching her closely, he continued moving his hips gently against hers, pushing into her slowly and carefully.

Her eyelids fluttered close, her lips parting just slightly, as she stopped fighting to free her hands from his grip.

Smiling, he kissed her again, his tongue dancing with hers in a slow pace that matched the rhythm of their bodies.

"Herbie," she whispered against his lips. She was practically begging him, hardly capable of thinking of anything save the man between her thighs. "Oh, God…. Herbie…" She thrust her hips against his in desperate abandon, wrapping a leg around his waist.

"Rose!" Herbie growled, releasing her wrists so his palms could ghost over her full breasts. He caught her plump lower lip between his teeth, biting playfully.

Rose groaned in response before shushing him, "The baby! Be-Be quiet, Herb-" She gasped sharply, interrupting herself, in her attempt to stifle a moan as he started pushing into her harder and faster. "Oh, God!" she squeaked, her breathing heavy as her fingers twisted in the fabric of his open, button-down shirt.

He licked a hot trail along her jaw line back to her ear, his breath hot in her ear as he groaned her name again. "Rose… Oh, my Rose. My Rosie… My beautiful, perfect Rose…"

"Herbie!" she whispered, throwing her head back as she tried to stifle her growing sounds of pleasure. "Oh, God… Pl-Please, honey… Fas-More! Dear God, more!"

He pushed into her harder, almost violently, with another deep groan and she gasped again, her nails biting through his shirt and into his biceps. She bit her bottom lip, stifling another moan.

"Let it out, Rose," Herbie breathed in her ear, his breath heavy and nearly a growl. "I miss hearing you… It's been so long…" He bit into her neck playfully, one of his hands groping her breast with an uncharacteristic, almost animal vigor as he thrust violently into her again.

She didn't have time to cover her mouth to stifle the scream that escaped her in response, his name being ripped from her lips, "HERBIE!" It was too much too soon. Not an orgasm, but a damn good sign that she was getting close.

Her response urged him on and he started sucking where he'd bit her, changing his pace so it was faster but deeper. She howled in response, trying to cover her mouth but he grabbed her hands and pinned them by her head again, enjoying the playful struggle.

"Oh, GOD! Herbie! Her-" Rose whimpered, still trying very hard to keep quiet. "Pl-Please, hun- Mmnnnmnm….Her-Her-HERBIE!" She was practically shaking with her effort.

A small wail pierced her ears, breaking through the misty haze of pleasure that had been forming in her mind and clouding her vision. "Parker," she breathed, her body going numb as her maternal instincts kicked into overdrive. "Herbie, stop."

He didn't.

"Herbie," she growled, struggling against his grip on her wrists. When he didn't let her go, she thrust her hips against his hard enough to flip their positions so she was straddling him. In mere seconds, she extracted herself, pulling away from him and scooting off the bed as she pulled her robe on and tied the sash.

"What is it, baby?" she cooed, peering into the crib. "What does mama's little man need?" She scooped Parker up, cradling his head and holding him against her heaving breast.

"Rose," he sighed, rolling over and feeling the cold, empty spot beside him. "Honey, come back to bed."

She clucked her tongue in response, shooting him a glare briefly before looking back at the small baby in her arms. "Shhh, you'll upset Parker," she whispered, smiling as she bounced him and fought to control her breathing. "Are you hungry?" she cooed.

"No, I want you and I-"

"Not you," she snapped, turning and glaring at him before smiling back at Parker again. "Is mama's baby waby a hungry, wungry boy?" She moved her robe, uncovering her breast so he could begin suckling. "Yes you are! I know! Mama knows, baby!"

"Rose, it's not necessary to try to feed him every time he cries. We're supposed to try to get him on a normal schedule," Herbie sighed. "The doctor said-"

"Which doctor would that be, Herbie?" Rose interrupted, turning and glaring again. "The one who didn't tell me I was carryin' twins or the one who couldn't save our little Nancy?"

"Fine, forget what the doctor said, Rose. But we should still be trying to get him on a schedule so you can get some sleep."

"I'll sleep when-"

"Rose! You need to sleep _now_. Nothing is going to happen to him," he soothed, climbing out of bed and standing beside her.

"No, Herbie. I am not going to be asleep if he needs me. I refuse to lose him like we did Nancy." She took a deep breath, composing herself and warding off the tears he'd heard in her voice. "I won't. I am going to _be_ there for him. Right now he's hungry so I'm gonna feed him."

"Rosie, honey, you can be there for him without coddling-"

"Herbie, if you know what's best for you, you will tuck yourself back into bed and stop trying to separate me and Parker," she said coldly, a smile plastered on her features as she gazed into her son's sparkling blue eyes.

"Rose, I am his _father_. This isn't like with June and Louise where you and their father separated. I am not going _anywhere_ ," he retorted, his own anger bubbling up now. "Now, you've hardly let me _hold_ my son since he was born!"

"If you're not going back to sleep, then at least put on some clothes. What if the girls came in? Honestly, Herbie!" she chastised, dismissing what he'd said as she sat in the rocking chair by Parker's crib.

"Rose, you can't-"

"You're gonna upset Parker," she repeated, her voice deathly cold as she glared at him. When she looked back into her baby's bright blue eyes, though, all traces of anger vanished. "Such a _hungry-wungry baby-waby_!" she cooed, smiling brightly. She started humming quietly as she rocked her son gently.

Herbie let out an angry sigh, running his fingers through his hair. "Fine, Rose…. Fine. You win." He pulled his boxers back on before reaching for his discarded pants. "You…. You _win_ , Rose." He pulled his pants on, shoving his feet into his shoes without socks. He was almost shaking in anger as he started buttoning his shirt. "Ya hear me, Rose? You win."

He looked over at her and saw that she was out cold, mechanically rocking the chair to keep Parker quiet as he suckled at her breast. "Oh, my Rose…." he shook his head, walking over to her and gently running his finger through her matted red curls.

Unconsciously, she moved into his touch, letting him cup her cheek as she slept, still humming quietly.

He slid an arm around her waist, hauling her into a standing position as he supported both her and their son. He'd gotten her almost to the bed when her eyes started fluttering open.

"Wha-?"

"Shhh… Don't worry about it, Rosie… Go to sleep," he whispered, helping her into the bed.

"But, Parker-?" she argued sleepily.

"Shhh, I have him. I'll stay up with him, okay? You go to sleep," he told her, taking their baby from her arms before tucking her into the bed. He _expected_ an argument, but Rose just nodded sleepily and rolled over, going back to sleep.

"Shhh, Parker… Daddy's got ya," Herbie whispered, sitting in the rocking chair as Rose had.

Parker blinked up at him, their blue eyes meeting before Parker began dozing quietly as his mother was.


	6. Back In the Saddle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "June, dear, hold baby," Rose muttered, hurrying forward.

"June, dear, hold baby," Rose muttered, hurrying forward.

As per Herbie's constant pressuring, she was slowly letting other people hold and care for Parker. It wasn't, however, natural for her. So despite her instructions to her youngest daughter to hold the baby, she continued clutching him tightly as she moved the boys in the act.

"You have to _count_ , bo-"

"Mama," June interrupted, holding her arms out for her younger brother.

"In a minute, June," she waved one hand dismissively, instinctively rocking her son as he cooed up at her, his tiny fingers fisting in her blouse. "Boys, how do you expect the act to be ready for the audition if you don't _count_?"

"Mama, you're still holding Parker," Louise offered, smiling indulgently as she took her baby brother from her mother and started cooing happily.

"Wh-Oh. Thank you, Louise, honey," she smiled at her eldest before turning to the blonde. "June, why didn't you _tell_ me? What if I had started to demonstrate a dance step! Baby could've gotten hurt! Louise, dear, give baby to me." She stretched her arms out to take Parker back and he squealed in delight as she clutched him against her breast protectively, cooing down at him, "Yes! Mama _knows_! Yes she does!"

"Rose?"

"Herbie! Thank _God_ you're here!" She threw up one arm as she started towards her husband. "This is atrocious. June is out of practice and so are the boys. The only one who knows what to do is Louise! She's been right by my side all day helping me take care of baby."

"Rose, you didn't," Herbie laughed, shaking his head. He kissed her forehead before leaning down and placing a scratchy kiss to Parker's forehead. "Honey, I thought you weren't gonna start up with the act till Parker was older."

"Well, I wasn't going to, honey. But if June's gonna headline on Broadway, she needs to be rehearsing again.- Louise, dear, get me a fresh diaper? And, June! Come hold your brother for me! I need to talk to Herbie!"

June obediently came over, her arms stretched out, as she sighed bitterly. Louise hurried to the baby bag in the other room.

"Herbie, we simply _have_ to get June lessons. I can't do everything I used to for her _and_ care for baby. And since I don't have the time, she needs proper lessons. I mean, this act with the boys? The boys are so out of practice that it's just _horri_ \- June!" Rose hurried away mid-sentence, scooping her crying baby boy out of her blonde daughter's arms. "June, you have to mind his head! Shhh, baby, it's okay! Mama's got you now!"

Parker stopped crying almost the exact second his mother's arms encompassed him.

"June, what did you do to Baby?- Yes! Mama's _big boy_!- Boys, you can go. That'll be all for today. Thank y- Louise! Thank you, honey! Could you take your brother to Herbie? Tell him he needs changing," she nodded, reluctantly handing her son off to his oldest sister before turning back to the blonde.

"June, what is wrong with you? You don't _count_ , you don't _sing out_ … And I don't know _what_ you're doing to your brother, but you will stop it _this instant_."

"Mama! I didn't do anything!" June argued, stamping her foot, childishly.

"I don't wanna hear it. Baby wouldn't cry for no reason," Rose started turning away, looking over at where Herbie was changing Parker. "Herbie and I are going to have a very long talk tonight, June. Now I want you to go home and go to your room. I don't want to see you out of your room again all night, do you understand?"

"But Mama-!"

But Rose was already walking away from her blonde daughter, scooping her son from his father's arms and cooing to him.

"Rose, I thought we talked about this," Herbie started, trying to sound scolding despite his amusement.

"You _did_ hold him. And change him. I'm letting other people hold him. I'm not clinging," she cooed all of this to the baby in her arms, her nose brushing his as she scrunched her face up playfully. He wrapped his tiny fingers around her bottom lip, smiling gleefully as she made popping noises with her lips around his fingers. Gently pulling his hand from her face, she smiled down, "What? _What_? Mama's _big boy_!" She planted a kiss to his forehead before looking back at her husband. "Lord only knows _why_ I let June hold him. I mean, she must _pinch_ him or something! He cries _every time!_ I don't know _what_ is going on with that girl."

"I'm sure June doesn't pinch him," he started diplomatically, slinging the diaper bag over his shoulder before wrapping an arm around her waist. "I just… I think he senses how uneasy she is with him."

"Why's she uneasy?" Rose demanded, turning in his arms. "What's she got to be uneasy about?"

"Well, she's not the baby anymore and-"

"So? That doesn't give her the right to make Baby cry!"

"That's what I mean, honey. 'Baby' used to mean _her_."

She sighed in irritation, "Still doesn't make it right for her to make our little boy cry."

"Yes, dear," Herbie responded automatically, guiding her towards the door. "What did you want to talk about, though?"

"It's about June," she started.

"Not about her making Parker cry," he started, his voice carrying something that was almost scolding.

"No. I think we need to send her to a proper acting school. And dance. I just… I can't coach her like I did before. I don't have the _time_ , Herbie. I don't have the _energy_."

"I know. But we don't have the money for a school like that, Rosie. We just _don't_ ," he leaned down and gently kissed her red curls.

"So June gets pushed to the wayside? Herbie, she has _talent_. She could really _go places_. We have to… Find some way to _make_ it happen," she pleaded, leaning against him more as they walked. The fingers of her free hand were tightly gripping his lapel.

"Okay, Rosie… We'll- We'll _try_ ," he nodded, running his hand gently up her back.

* * *

"Herbie," she scolded, throwing her legs over the side of the bed and standing up.

"Shhh," he soothed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer.

"We _can't_."

"Why not?" he breathed, his breath hot in her ear.

"The girls… And-and P-Parker," she stuttered, fighting her instinct. She tried to step away again, a groan escaping her when he ran one hand over her stomach and between her thighs to tease her through the fabric of her skirt and panties. " _Herbie._ "

He ran his other hand _up_ her stomach, giving her breast a playful squeeze and making her nearly melt in his arms. He kissed her gently below her ear, his tongue gliding over her skin and making her pant.

"St- _stop_ , Herbie. We can't," she whimpered, rolling her hips against his as her hands covered his. Her stomach flipped, sending liquid heat pounding between her thighs.

"They're staying at your father's for the night," he whispered. "I dropped them off while you were taking your nap."

"Oh, _God_ ," she breathed, turning in his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck. She tiptoed, pressing her lips to his and kissing him hungrily as she forced him backward. She ran her palms up his chest, pushing his customary suit jacket from his arms before her fingers were pulling at the bowtie.

"Rose, shhh… Calm down, honey. There's no rush. We have _all night_ ," he chuckled, his hands resting at her waist.

"I know. And I wanna get started _now_ ," she pushed him into a lying position on the bed, straddling his hips as she tore his shirt open. She leaned down, pressing her plump lips to his stomach and starting to leave a trail of hot kisses up his chest. "I want you _now_ ," she breathed, her voice husky, as she licked up his chest and ground her hips against his. " _God_ , months at a time is _way too long_."

"Ro-"

"But," she sang, smirking. "I can think of something that's _just. Long. Enough._ " She ran her palms down his chest until her fingertips grazed his length.

She squealed happily when he rolled them over, kissing her hungrily as he started to peel her clothing off her.

"Oh, my Rosie... You're such a _tease_ ," he growled, her skirt and blouse tossed aside as he pressed heated kisses to neck.

Rose raised her knee, letting it purposefully brush against him as she pulled his mouth back to her own. "No I'm not," she told him, her voice a teasing sing-song. "Teasing implies I won't _follow through_." She rolled them back over, clawing at his belt as she kissed him hungrily.

"You just like making me squirm," he choked out, his palms running up her back before starting on her bra.

"You like it too," she accused, huffing. She rolled them over again, unable to move his pants while he was beneath her. The fingers of one hand pushed insistently at his waistband as those of her other hand curled in his hair. " _God_ , Herbie... _Now_. I need you now."

"No," Herbie answered, his features strong. "You wanted to tease, so..." he trailed off, running his hand down her bare stomach slowly before kissing her neck. She whimpered loudly in response, almost turning to jelly when he nipped playfully below her earlobe. "My delicate, little Rosie, who thinks it's fun to tease..."

She pulled his mouth to hers, both her hands at his cheeks as she kissed him hungrily, groaning lightly into the kiss. " _God_ , Herbie," she repeated, her voice desperate. "Take me _now_." She choked back a whimper when two of his fingers invaded her, caressing her before running over her clit and then back to her entrance. " _Please_ ," she managed, her back just slightly arching.

He added another finger, thrusting them into her and making her gasp as he started a steady pace that had her nearly mewling beneath him as she dug her nails into his neck. "Come on, Rosie. Tell me what you need," he whispered against her neck.

"M- _more_ ," she managed, throwing her head back.

 _God_ , she missed this. Months at a time _was_ way too long. And breastfeeding had kept her sex-drive hovering just below where it had been while she was pregnant, which was little help. No, now she wanted sex but there wasn't _time_ for it. Not with Parker and Louise and June. Not with the act. Not with Herbie's full-time job.

He added a fourth finger, stretching her and making her whimper desperately. She threw one arm around his neck, pulling his mouth back to hers again and kissing him deeply. She slid her right hand between them, slipping it past his waistband to curl her fingers around his length, making him gasp into their kiss.

"Please," she managed, whispering into his mouth. She knew he heard. It didn't matter that her voice had been swallowed in his hot mouth. He'd _heard_. "Please, honey. _Take me_."

He tore his pants and boxers off himself, throwing them behind him before doing the same with her panties. He pressed his lips to hers in a searing kiss, guiding his length into her until he filled her.

"Herbie!" she gasped, tossing her head back as her muscles squeezed around him, climaxing around him.

"Ro-"

"Again," she choked out, wrapping her legs around his waist. She whimpered as she rocked her hips against his, her eyelids fluttering in response. Her plump lips and skilled tongue ran up and down his neck, sucking between her whimpers of pleasure.

He smiled lovingly, pressing a kiss to her temple, "Honey, y-"

" _Please_ , Herbie," she gasped, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she pulled his mouth to her own. "I-I _miss_ you. I miss _this_."

"Shh, darling; I'm here. I'll always be here, Rosie," he soothed, his lips brushing hers as he spoke.

"I love you, Herbie," she whispered, cupping his cheeks. She squeezed him between her thighs, her breath catching and her eyelids fluttering. " _Herbie_..."

"I love you too, my Rose," he promised, moving inside her slowly again according to her leading movements. He kissed her again, his tongue dancing with hers between the desperate breaths she was taking, each accented with a small moan of pleasure.

"Ah- _ahhhh_ -" she groaned loudly, one her hands falling to his shoulder as the other tangled in his hair. "Her-b-b-b- _bieee..._ "

"Oh, my Rose..." He was nearly growling, his thrusts uneven now as he neared his own peak.

"G-g-g- _oh my_ -" She was trembling beneath him, her mouth searching for his as she panted and moaned desperately.

"I love you, Rosie," Herbie repeated, his breath hot in her ear as he growled his release.

" _Herbie_!" she squealed, using her grip on his hair to force his mouth to her own as she sighed and whimpered through her climax.

He rolled off her, hugging her tight to him as their fiery bodies cooled, both their breathing labored and forced.

"What- time- do you- have to- get the kids?" she panted, nuzzling contently.

"After-" he yawned, "breakfast." He pressed a kiss to her mussed red curls.

"Can we cuddle? And sleep? And-and go-" she yawned as well, burying her face against him, "go again before we go get them? I just—Just a few hours of sleep? And then again? Okay?" Her voice was thick with sleep, telling him she was already half asleep.

"Whatever you want, honey," he promised, squeezing her.

"Just a few hours," she repeated, yawning as she nuzzled against him.


End file.
